The Valley of Baca not the Makkah

Allah says,

“The first House (of worship) appointed for men was that at Bibakkata (Bakkah): Blessed and a guidance for all kinds of beings” Sira 3/96

From the research there is no proof that this Makkah is Bakkah. The Qur’an is fully conversant with the term ‘Makkah’ as a place and refers to it. There is no support for the claim in the Qur’an that ‘Bakkah’ is an old name for ‘Makkah’ or another name for it.

“And He it is Who has withheld men’s hands from you, and has withheld your hands from them, in the valley Makkata (of Makkah) after He had made you victors over them. Allah is seer of what you do.” Sura 48/24

In Qur’an we are given the mention of ‘Bakkah’ as the original sanctuary is being confirmed during a dialogue with the People of the Book who would have had recourse to their own scriptures.

‘Bakkah’ (or Baca) was a place known to Ahlul Kitab (the People of the Book) as is evidenced from their scriptures and in the dialogue captured above.

What is meant by ‘Baca’ in the Hebrew text (i.e. weeping etc) does not deter from the point that this valley Hebrew: emeq {ay-mek} valley / lowland / open country or vale) within Palestine was known to the People of the Book at the time of Prophet Muhammad’s preaching.

1 ‘abar’ – which means to pass through or go over, to carry, take away, alienate
2 ’emeq’ – which means a valley, or an open country or lowland

3 ‘Baka’ – this is a place known to be in Palestine. Also known to mean ‘weep’. No Hebrew Prophet eve made Pilgrimage to Makkah

If, as the Quranic verse states, Prophet Abraham’s first house was a blessing for all Alameen (Nations)in Sura 3/96

“The first House (of worship) appointed lilnnāsi (for sons of Adam) is the one which bibakkata (is at Bakkah) mubārakan (blessed) wahudan (and a guidance) lil’ʿālamīna (for all the nations).” Sura 3/96

Allah also says that pilgrimage was ‘proclaimed’ to all mankind in Sura 22/27

“O you who have believed, bow and prostrate and worship your Lord and do good – that you may succeed.” Sura 22/27

It remains difficult to accept the proposition that all the Hebrw Prophets that came after Prophet Abraham such as Moses, David, Solomon, Yahshua / Isa ibn Maryam and all the others Hebrew Prophets would perform their rites at a place other than the location that is being mentioned above.

We know that these rites were prescribed from the previous scriptures. It is also clear that these rites were being performed in localities around the Holy Lands not Makkah. There is no mention of Makkah as a sacred place in any historic document for the followers of the previous scriptures.

On the contrary, there is strong support that the Hebrew Prophets held the area of Jerusalem and the Temple within its environs as the Lords place of worship.

The old sanctuary that Prophet Abraham constructed has been described as a ‘mubaraka’ (blessing) and a ‘huda’ (guidance) for all ‘alameen’ (nations) in the Qur’an.

Here an apt question arises. How can the Kaaba sanctuary today at Makkah serve the conditions of a blessing and guidance to all nations if true Muslims among the Hebrew Israelites, and Ahlul Kitab (the Jews and Christians) are forbidden from its precincts?

On the other hand in Jerusalem, Muslims, Christians and Jews are all allowed within its environs. This lends support to the notion that the Kaaba sanctuary was made sacred only for those believers (mu’mins) after the advent of Islam in Arabia.

“The first House (of worship) appointed lilnnāsi (for people) is the one which bibakkata (is at Bakkah) mubārakan (blessed) wahudan (and a guidance) lil’ʿālamīna (for all the nations).” Sura 3/96

The Quranic use of the term ‘Blessed’ to signify a land that is blessed has always been reserved for localities around the holy land.

For example, some terms used in the Qur’an.

(1) Barakna hawlahu

Al Masjid Aqsa

“Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-haram to al-Masjid al- Aqsa, whose surroundings bāraknā (We blessed), to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.” Sura 17/1

(2) Barakna fiha

Blessed lands for the Children of Israel

“And We caused the people who had been oppressed to inherit the eastern regions of the land and the western ones, which We had blessed. And the good word of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel because of what they had patiently endured. And We destroyed [all] that Pharaoh and his people were producing and what they had been building.” Sura 7/137

Prophets Abraham and Lot delivered to the blessed lands

“And We delivered him and Lot to the land which bāraknā (We blessed) lil’ʿālamīna (for the nations).” Sura 21/71

Wind flowed for Solomon on the blessed lands

“And to Solomon We subjected the wind, blowing forcefully, proceeding by his command toward the land which bāraknā (We blessed). And We are ever, of all things, Knowing.” Sura 21/81

Saba and cities in-between

“And We made between them and the towns which bāraknā (We blessed) towns to be easily seen, and We apportioned the journey therein: Travel through them nights and days, secure.” Sura34/18

(3) Mubarakan

The first house that Prophet Abraham built

So we have the following facts. The Qur’an never makes use of the term ‘barakna’ to describe the sanctuary at Makkah, which is normally referred to as ‘Masjid Haram’ (Prohibited / inviolable mosque / sacred mosque) or the Kaaba which is present within its bounds.

The Qur’an makes it clear that sacrifices took place inside the ancient house or at its location. This is extremely difficult to reconcile with the location of the Kaaba as even today, no sacrifices take place at or around the Kaaba or anywhere within the precincts of the haram.

“You have advantages in them till a fixed time, then their place of sacrifice is the Ancient House.” Sura 22/33

So from the above verse we have the following facts which informs us that the place of mahiloha (sacrifice) is at (ila) the house (Bait) ancient (Ateeq).

However, sacrifice has never been performed at or inside the Kaaba or the Masjid Haram premises. It is performed at Mina another area nowhere near the Kaaba.

“In it are clear signs, the standing place of Ibrahim, and whoever enters it shall be āminan (secure), and ḥijju (pilgrimage) to the House is incumbent upon men for the sake of Allah, (upon) every one who is able to undertake the journey to it; and whoever disbelieves, then surely Allah is Self-sufficient, above any need ālamīna (of the nations).” Sura 3/97

If we were to compare these two verses then the ‘signs’ are at Jerusalem where one would also find the station of Prophet Abraham.

Maqaam-e-Ibraham at Makkah claims to bear the ‘foot imprints’ of Prophet Abraham from nearly 4000 years ago. This is quite an interesting claim, however, without some academic suspicion.

Have these footprints actually been preserved for nearly 4 millennia without the knowledge of anyone from the previous readers of the scriptures?

Or are they a later institution to give the site validity as the original sanctuary of Prophet Abraham?

It is important to remember, adherents of the previous scriptures were present in the localities of the Hijaz at the time of revelation. However, no such claim seems to have found currency with either the Jews or the Christians.

However, an older Jewish tradition claims the Foundation stone (Hebrew: Even haShetiya) at the site of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem to be the location where Prophet Abraham nearly sacrificed his son Isaac.

However, the Tanakh speaks of altars erected for sacrifice by Prophets Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses. The temple built by ‘King Solomon’ (Approx 957 BC) was a sole place for Israelites sacrifice and after its destruction in 586 BC was rebuilt between 538-515 BC.

Herod’s temple also had sacrifices performed inside the temple. So the Israelites temples in Jerusalem always had sacrifice performed inside it.

Case in point:

Prophet Abraham’s first house that he built with Prophet Ishmael has never been described as the ‘Masjid Haram’, the ‘Kaaba’ or indeed the ‘Haram’ in the Qur’an.

The latter ‘haram’ (forbidden) being the key epithet for the site at Makkah.

The term ‘haram’ means to forbid, prevent, to make unlawful, deprive, inviolable, to be refused something or to involve some contention or wrangling.

This definition is certainly consistent with many Quranic narratives where the sanctuary at Makkah became a contention between the disbelievers and the Muslims, the latter at times being forbidden from its environs.

The original sanctuary built by Prophets Abraham and Ishmael however has been described with the key epithet ‘Bayt’ (house) and usually with a prefix or a suffix but without the use of term ‘haram’ (forbidden / inviolable).

Whether this is the first house (Awwala Bayt) or the Ancient House (Bayt al-ateeq) or simply ‘the house’ (al-bayt), there appears to be consistent use of the term ‘Bayt’ without the use of ‘haram’.

Where Bayt and haram appear combined, the Arabian sanctuary is indicated?

“O you who believe! do not violate the signs appointed by Allah nor the sacred month, nor (interfere with) the offerings, nor the sacrificial animals with garlands, nor those going to the sacred house seeking the grace and pleasure of their Lord; and when you are free from the obligations of the pilgrimage, then hunt, and let not hatred of a people– because they hindered you from the Sacred Masjid– incite you to exceed the limits, and help one another in goodness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and aggression; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; surely Allah is severe in requiting (evil).” Sura 5/2

“Allah hath appointed the Ka’bah, the Sacred House, a standard for mankind, and the Sacred Month and the offerings and the garlands. That is so that ye may know that Allah knoweth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, and that Allah is Knower of all things.” Sura 5/97

‘al-bayt’ simply means ‘the house’, a particular structure (definite noun) for habitation or a place of worship. This can be a reference for the Kaaba or any other well known site of worship such as an ancient house.

To describe the place of worship that Prophet Abraham built with his son.

Does the Kaaba have buildings, storerooms, upper parts, inner rooms, places of atonement, courts of temples of the Most High, surrounding rooms for treasures of the temple of Elohim and other things?

Does the Kaaba have door keepers?

Another aspect to consider is there is no recognized function of doorkeeper for the Ka’aba yet this was an official job at the Jerusalem Temple.

“Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my Elohim than dwell in the tents of the wicked” Psalm 84/10

“The captain of the royal guard took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah, the priest who was second in rank, and the three doorkeepers.” 2 Kings 25/18

“And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build הַבַּ֖יִת habbayit (the house) of Yahuwah.” I Kings 6:1

“In the fourth year the foundation of בֵּ֣ית beit (the house) of Yahuwah was laid, in the month of Ziv.” 1 Kings 6:37

“So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for בֵּ֣ית beit (the house) of Yahuwah. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of Yahuwah.” I Kings 7:51

King Solomon gathers people.

“Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahuwah out of the city of David, which is Zion.” I Kings 8:1

The pilgrims in Psalm 84 are certainly not on their way to Makkah, as their destination is given as Zion. Mount Zion is one of the hills on which Jerusalem is founded. In the Bible Zion is often used synonymously with Jerusalem.

“In the last days the mountain of Yahuwah’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.” Isaiah 2/2

If we examine the word used for ‘pilgrimage’ in Psalm 84/5.

“How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, In whose heart מְ֝סִלֹּ֗ות mesillovt (are the highways / pathways) to Zion!” Psalm 84/5

Hebrew and Arabic are Semitic languages and close in many ways, having the same or similar words for lots of things. That being the case, we might expect the Hebrew word translated here as ‘pilgrimage’ to be similar to the Arabic hajj.

In fact, it is not. The only similar Hebrew word that I could find in my exhaustive concordance was hag, which is often translated as ‘festival’ and therefore seems to me to be in some way related to the Arabic hajj.

The Hebrew word used in Psalm 84:5 is from a completely different root to this and is usually translated as ‘road’ or ‘highway’.

Thus it seems from a brief consideration that the phrase is literally like saying in English ‘those who have set their hearts on the highway’, meaning the way they must take to get to Jerusalem.

So even the ideas of pilgrimage in the Tanakh and the Qur’an have a different emphasis and just because the English translation of Psalm 84:5 says ‘pilgrimage’ can’t simply equate it with the Hajj.

Baca has been translated either as ‘weeping’ or ‘balsam trees’ which grow in dry places. It could be a real place, in which case it was a valley through which the pilgrims passed during their journey.

Alternatively, it could be figurative.

In this interpretation, even the dry, arid places through which the pilgrims pass are brought alive by their expectant joy as they near their destination. In either case, their pilgrimage is clearly to Jerusalem, as evidenced by the rest of the psalm.

Would it make any sense for Hebrew Israelites, living in Israel and on their way to Jerusalem, take a huge detour through Makkah?

Its plausible that Makkah was a centre of pilgrimage too since ancient times (i.e. BC) but not for Hebrew Israelites. These other people were not singing Psalm 84.

The issue is the meaning of that Psalm and the word Baca in it.

In either case, their pilgrimage is clearly to Jerusalem, as evidenced by the rest of the psalm. Why on earth would Hebrew Prophets and Hebrew Israelites, living in Israel and on their way to Jerusalem, take a huge detour through Makkah?

We can’t imagine living in Israel at that time there was nothing like State of Israel at or being on their way to Jerusalem, yet we are told somehow they took a huge detour through Makkah.

How can it be plausible that Makkah was a place of worship even before the Messiah?

Who was this a place of worship to? It was a place of idolatry certainly in Muhammad’s time. How could people forget this?

Why should a barren place be given so much importance by the people?

There are places of worship in Mexico from before the Messiah’s time too. The Inkas and Aztecs worshiped and sacrificed to their gods. Makkah is not the first house of worship especially for the Hebrew Prophets.

The Kaaba is a re-instituted way for the Arabs and Gentiles to emulate the Prophet Abraham.

Now today especially during the time of Hajj, the Orthodox Sunni Muslims are guilty of innovating man-made traditions within their Deen. However, these Sunni’s have interjected man-made rituals as part of the Deen by way of the ahadith and most of their practices can be found in the ahadith which has its origin in idol worship (shirk) in some form or fashion.

Bukhari, one of their so-called most credible, most authentic hadiyth writer /compiler (according to them) falsely teaches Muslim to kiss a black stone during Hajj:

Narrated ‘Abis bin Rabia:

‘Umar came near the Black Stone and kissed it and said “No doubt, I know that you are a stone and can neither benefit anyone nor harm anyone. Had I not seen Allah’s Apostle kissing you I would not have kissed you

Allah gives a dire warning against stone worship:

“O ye who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (Dedication of) stones, and divination by arrows, are an abomination-of Satan’s handiwork; eschew such (abomination), that ye may prosper.” Sura 5/90

According to all of the Divine Scriptures it is a sin to worship an object of any form or fashion.

Can we believe this is the house Abraham once purified and made it a station for those who want to emulate Abraham’s ways?

“And when We made the House (the Ka’aba) a focal point for the people, and a safe sanctuary, and once this was done We took the station of Abraham as a place of worship for you. We commissioned Abraham and Ismail: “You shall purify My House for those who make the circuit and for those who remain therein to meditate and for those who bow down in prostration.” Sura 2/125

“In fact, most of them believe not in Allah without ascribing partners to Him.” sura 12/106

Whether extreme veneration can be considered a form of worship is not the focus here.

However, what is questionable is the practice of showing any form of veneration to something which can neither benefit one nor harm one.

“He (Abraham) said: What! do you then worship, besides Allah what brings you not any benefit at all, nor does it harm you? “Fie upon you, and upon the things that you worship besides Allah! Have ye no sense?” Sura 21/66-67

The affiliation of pagan Arabs with stones is deep rooted and this can indeed be attested by the Qur’an.

“Forbidden to you that which is sacrificed on nusubi (stone altars)…” Sura 5/3

“…ansabu (stone altars) are an abomination from the work of Satan…” Sura 5/90

the Arabic word ‘Ansabu’ which is elaborated in the lexicon

Millions of Muslims make hajj each year believing this is the house Abraham built and yet millions are deceived.“He (Abraham) said: What! do you then worship, besides Allah what brings you not any benefit at all, nor does it harm you? “Fie upon you, and upon the things that you worship besides Allah! Have ye no sense?” Sura 21/66-67

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